Heel attaching machines



1963 B. A. STROUT HEEL ATTACHING MACHINES 9 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 19, 1961 by J m m M e w M 0 wh u m Jan. 8, 1963 B. A. STROUT HEEL ATTACI-IING MACHINES 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 19, 1961 Jan. 8, 1963 B. A. STROUT HEEL ATTACHING MACHINES 9 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 19, 1961 Jan. 8, 1963 B. A. STROUT 3,071,775

HEEL ATTACHING MACHINES Filed May 19, 1961 9 She9t5-$heet 4 Jan. 8, 1963 B. A. STROUT HEEL ATTACHING MACHINES 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 19, 1961 |l| II I ll ul Jan. 8, 1963 B. A. STROUT HEEL ATTACHING MACHINES Filed May 19, 1961 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 Jan. 8, 1963 B. A. STROUT HEEL ATTACHING MACHINES Filed May 19, 1961 9 Sheets-Sheet 7 Jan. 8, 1963 Filed May' 19. 1961 B. A. sTRouT HEEL ATTACHING MACHINES 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 United States Patent 3,071,775 Patented Jan. 8, 1963 Free 3,071,775 HEEL ATTACHING MACHINES Basil A. Strout, Saugus, Mass, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Boston, Mass, a corporation of New Jersey Filed May 19, 1961, Ser. No. 111,240 18 Claims. (Cl. 1-138) This invention relates to heel attaching machines and more specifically to mechanism for automatically delivering heels to said machines, said mechanism being hereinafter described with reference to a heel attaching machine disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,994,882, granted August 8, 1961, on an application filed in the names of William F. MacKenzie et a1.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a heel attaching machine having mechanism for quickly and effectively supplying rubber heels or heel lifts of different sizes and/or styles automatically to be predetermined position adjacent to a nailing die of the machine preparatory to attaching said heels or lifts to shoes.

With the above object in view the illustrative heel att-aching machine, which comprises an ailing die, in accordance with a feature of the present invention is provided with fluid pressure operated means for automatically delivering heels in succession to a heel attaching station adjacent to the nailing die and means responsive to the completion of a heel attaching cycle of the machine for operating said fluid pressure operating means.

The heel delivering means in accordance with another feature of the invention comprises in combination a magazine, a transfer station spaced from the magazine and from the nailing die, a form for carrying a heel, power operated means for moving the form between a predetermined position adjacent to the nailing die and a predetermined position at the transfer station, and power operated means actuated in timed relation with the aforesaid power operated means for receiving a heel from the magazine and for delivering it to the form at the transfer station.

The present invention consists in the above novel features and in hereinafter described novel features directed to an improved magazine and to improved mechanism for moving heels from the magazine to the transfer station and from the transfer station to the nailing die, reference being had to the accompanying drawings which illustrate one embodiment of the invention selected for purposes of illustration, aid invention being fully disclosed in the following description and claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing incorporated in the machine disclosed in United States Patent No. 2,994,- 882, mechanism for automatically delivering heels to the machine;

FIG. 2 shows in perspective the heel delivering mechanism of the machine during the final portion of the heel attaching cycle of the machine;

FIG. 3 is a view showing in perspective, partly in section, a portion of a heel magazine of the heel delivering mechanism;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing a heel receiving form of the heel delivering mechanism at a transfer station of the machine and a presser foot in the process of inserting a heel into a cavity of said form;

FIG. 5 is a section on the line V-V of FIG. 2 of the drawings;

FIG. 6 is a plan view, partly broken away, showing mechanism for successively transferring heels from a position below the magazine to the transfer station of the machine;

FIG. 7 is a section on the line VII-VII of FIG. 6;

FIGS. 8 and 9 are perspective views, partly broken away, showing details of the heel magazine;

FIG. 10 is a view on the line XX of FIG. 2 showing a heel and a base lift in the process of being attached to a shoe;

FIG. 11 shows in perspective, partly in section, the rear end of a shoe the heel and base lift of which have been attached by the use of the illustrative machine;

FIG. 12 is a schematic view of a fluid pressure operated mechanism of the machine and is of use in describing the operation of the machine; and

FIG. 13 is a wiring diagram used in connection with FIG. 12 to describe the machine operation.

The present invention is disclosed with reference to the attachment of rubber heels 20 (FIG. '10) and their associated bas lifts 22 to shoes 24 by the use of the heel attaching machine disclosed in the above-mentioned United States Patent No. 2,994,882 provided, as hereinafter explained, with mechanism adapted automatically to deliver the heels to a heel attaching station 26 (FIGS. 1, 2, 4 and 12) between a nailing die 28 and a jack 30 which are located at this station. When the heel 20 has been inserted in a heel form 32 and the form has been moved to the heel attaching station 26 above the nailing die 28, the base lift 22 is manually placed on the heel and is positioned thereon by the use of a base lift gage 33 hereinafter described in detail.

A last 34 bearing the shoe 24 is then placed on a last pin 36 of the jack 30 and is swung together with the jack rearwardly about a pin 38 (FIG. l) which is carried by a vertical power operated plunger '40, to a vertical position in which a rand crease 42 of the shoe engages a back gage. During a heel attaching power cycle of the machine the jack 30 is lowered vertically to force With initial pressure the heel seat of an attached outsole 46 of the shoe 24 against the base lift 22 and the base lift against the rubber heel 20, drivers 48 which are movable in passages 50 of the nailing die 28 thereafter being effective to drive nails 49 resting in said passage into the heel and the heel seat portion of the shoe, the nails being clenched against a heel plate 52 of the last.

As explained in said United States Patent No. 2,994,- 882, after the heel 2t and the base lift 22 have been attached to the shoe 24, the nailing die 28, which is carried by and is secured to a turret 54 (FIG. 1), is swung to a position beneath an active tube holder 56 in order to receive nails 49 from a nail distributor (not shown), said nailing die after receiving said nails being returned to the heel attaching station beneath the jack 30. The machine disclosed in the above-mentioned United States Patent No. 2,994,882 is operated by fluid pressure mechanism, the nailing die 28 being moved toward the tube holder 56 in response to the closing of a switch M-7 (FIGS. 12 and 13) as the result of the engagement of a cam 579, which is carried by a rod 546 operatively connected to the jack 30, with a plunger 577 of this switch.

After the from 32 with the rubber heel 20 mounted on it has been moved to the heel attaching station 26 and beneath the jack 30, the base lift 22, as above explained, is placed manually on top of the heel with its breast in engagement with shoulders 58 (FIG. 4) formed on arms 60 of the base lift gage 33.

Secured, partly through a bracket 64 (FIG. 1), to a main frame 66 of the machine is a platform 68 having formed in it an opening 70 and secured by screws 71 to the platform at opposite sides of the opening are guide bars 72, 74 having opposing V-shaped guideways 72a, 74a (FIG. 4) respectively for receiving a slide 76 which is movable Widthwise of the machine and has pivotallv connected to it a rod 78 secured to a piston 80 (FIG.

12) reciprocable in a bore 82 of a cylinder 84 journaled on trunnions 86 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 4) threaded into blocks 88 secured to the platform.

The slide 76 has at its right end, as viewed from the front of the machine, an opening 90 provided at its opposite sides with guideways 92 which are formed partly by supporting lips of the slide and partly by plates 94 secured by screws 96 to the slide, said guideways being adapted fittingly to receive the form 32 which has a heel receiving cavity 98. The form 32 may be referred to as a heel receiving form and the slide 76 may be referred to as a form carrying slide. Slidingly mounted in a bore 100 of the slide 76 is a rod 102 which is constantly urged to the left, as viewed from the front of the machine, by a spring 184, said rod being adapted to register in a bore (not shown) of the heel form 32 to maintain said form in its proper position lengthwise of the guideways 92. Preparatory to removing the form 32 from the slide 76 to substitute for said form a form having a cavity 98 of a different size, the rod 162 is withdrawn from the bore of the form against the action of the spring 104.

It will be noted that a vertical median plane of the heel form 32 positioned at the heel attaching station 26 above the nailing die 28 lies in a fixed vertical reference plane 106 of shoe controlling and driver operating instrumentalities of the machine and that a vertical element defining the extreme rear end of the cavity 98 of the form 32 at the heel attaching station 26 commonly lies in a fixed vertical reference line 108 (FIG. of the machine irrespective of the size of the cavity.

In the operation of the illustrative machine the last 34 carrying the shoe 24 is placed on the spindle or pin 36 of the jack 30 and is swung rearwardly with the jack about the pin 38 until the rand crease 42 of the shoe 24 engages the back gage 44, the initial setting of which is such that the rear end of a feather line 107 of the shoe lies slightly ahead of the vertical reference line 108 which as above explained is an extension of the vertical element defining the extreme rear end of the cavity 98. The outlines of the lateral and rear margins of the base lift 22 and the heel in the form 32 at the heel attaching station 26 are such that when said lift and heel are attached to the shoe positioned as above described, said margins project somewhat outwardly beyond the feather line 187 of the shoe, said projected margins being subsequently trimmed along dash-lines shown in FIG. 11. The breast of the heel 2t) and the base lift 22 are usually alined vertically and little if any surplus material is removed therefrom. Very little material is usually removed from the side and rear margins of the heel 20 since it is desirable to have the design at the bottom of the heel remain in concentric relation with the periphery of the heel. The amount of material trimmed from the base lift is not critical and accordingly the side and rear margins of the base lift usually project outwardly well beyond the side and rear margins of the heel.

Movement of the form carrying slide 76 to the right, as viewed from the front of the machine, is limited by the engagement of the right end of the slide with a stop screw 110 threaded into a bracket 112 fixed to the rear guide bar 74, the setting ofthe screw being such that when it is engaged by the slide, the heel form 32 will be arranged in its proper operating position above the nailing die 28. In order to dampen the force with which the slide 76 strikes the stop screw 11% the bracket 112 has slidingly mounted in it a spring-pressed plunger 114. Movement of the form carrying slide 76 to the left is limited by a stop screw 116 threaded into a bracket 1'18 fixed to the guide bar 72. Secured to the platform 68 is a microswitch M1 provided with a plunger 120 which is engaged by a pin 122 (FIGS, 1, 4 and 12) carried by the slide 76 just before the slide engages the stop screw 116. When the heel form 32 is in its position over the nailing die 28, the plunger 128 of the microswitch M1 is held in an open position shown in FIG. 13 by the spring action and when engaged by the pin 122 of the slide 76 it is moved to its closed position as will be hereinafter explained.

The arms 60 of the base lift gage 33 are journaled upon a carrier block 126 and are secured to gear segments 128 (FIG. 4) which interengage each other for equal movement in opposite directions. The carrier 126 is pivotally mounted on a bearing rod 130 secured to a slide 132 movable along a rectilinear guideway 134 (FIG. 2) of the guide bar 74, a spring 136 being interposed between the slide and the carrier block for constantly urging the arms 60 to raised positions determined by the engagement of a screw 138, which is threaded into thecarrier block, with the slide. The left arm 60 has secured to it a stud 149 having pivotally connected to it a threaded rod 142 slidingly extending through a bore formed in an extension of the carrier block 126, a wing nut 144 being threaded onto the rear end of the nut 142 and normally being forced against said extension by a spring 146 which is interposed between said extension and said stud. Engagement of the wing nut 144 with the extension of the carrier block limits inward movement of the arm 60 by the spring 146.

The guide bar 74 has secured to it an upstanding boss in which is rotatably mounted a screw 148 the rear end of which is threaded into a lug 132a extending rearward from the slide 132. With the above construction the arm 60 may be initially moved forwardly and rearwardly of the machine to their proper operating positions by turning the screw 148 and may be moved to the desired elevation above the nailing die 28 by the use of the screw 138. Base lift gages of the type above described are old and since this gage is not being claimed, no further description thereof is deemed to be necessary.

The guide bar 74 has secured to it by screws 150 a pair of spaced guide bars 152 (FIGS. 6-9) provided with opposed guideways 154 for receiving a slide 156 and secured by screws 158 to the guide bars 152 is a cover plate 161) provided with a U-shaped opening 162 constructed and arranged to receive the extreme lower end of a fiexible and accordingly deformable sheet-metal housing 164 of a magazine 166 which is adapted to receive the rubber heels 20 in stacked relation. The upper central portion of the guide bar 74 has a recess formed in it and secured to said bar in the recess is a block 168 which has a fiat upper face 170 and may be described as a table and which underlies the U-shaped opening 162 and the magazine housing 164.

Secured by screws 172 to the outer faces of the guide bars 152 are L-shaped brackets 174 into which are threaded stop screws 176 adapted to be engaged by the forward end of the slide 156 to limit said movement of said slide. Rearward movement of the slide 156 along the guideways 154 may be limited by stop screws (not shown) corresponding to the stop screws 176 but preferably is limited by mechanism hereinafter described.

The cover plate 160 has fixed to it the lower ends of tie rods 178, 180 and 182, the upper ends of said rods being secured to a header 184 having a U-shaped opening 186. The housing 164 of the magazine 162 has flared forward portions 164a and has secured to its outer rear end upper and lower brackets 188, which are fixed to the tie rod 182. Accordingly, the magazine housing 164 is supported by reason of its connection to the tie rod 182 and may be further supported by a bracket secured to the main frame 66.

The magazine housing 164 has secured to the lower portion of its outer sides a pair of L-shaped lugs 194. Secured to the cover plate 160 is a bracket 196 in which is journaled a hand screw 198 (FIG. 5) having right and left-hand threaded portions interengaging respectively with threaded portions of bosses formed at the rear ends of bell crank levers 200 which are pivoted on the tie rod 182 and are supported by the lower bracket 190 of the magazine housing 164. The forward end portions of the bell crank levers 200 extend through notches 202 formed by the sides of the magazine housing 164 and angularly disposed faces of the L-shaped lugs 194 secured to the housing. It will thus be clear that the housing 164 of the magazine 166 is supported by reason of its connection to the tie rod 182 and that the sides of the magazine housing 164 may be initially moved toward each other against the resilient action of the material forming the housing to accommodate heels of different sizes, by turning the hand screw 198 in the proper direction to cause the forward ends of the bell crank levers 200 to move equal distances toward each other. The sides of the housing 164- by reason of the resiliency of said housing tend to move away from each other until limited by the arms of the levers 280.

Iournaled on the tie rod 1'78 and engaging collars 264 secured to this rod are hinges of a door 206 which forms in effect the front of the magazine 166. The door 286 has secured to its outer edge a boss 2'08 (FIGS. 2, 4, 5 and 9) in a bore of which is slidingly mounted a springpressed rod or latch 216 having abevel face 210a, this rod having secured to it a pin 212 slidingly engaging in a slot of the boss to prevent rotation of the rod in said boss. The door 206 has secured to its inner face a boss or stop 214 in a bore of which is slidable a spring-pressed rod 216 disposed at right angles to the rod 210.

The door 206 has extending from its front face upper and lower bearing bosses 286a, 206b (FIG. 3) having parallel bores 218, 220 respectively for slidingly receiving upper and lower rods 222, 224 the rear ends of which are secured to a presser plate 226, springs 228, 231i encircling associated rods and being interposed between the plate and the inside of the door. Also slidingly mounted in the lower bearing boss 20611 is a pawl 232 which is constantly urged toward a ratchet portion 234 of the rod 224 by a spring 236. The presser plate 226, unless prevented by the interengagement of the pawl 232 with the ratchet portion 234 of the rod, is urged by the action of the springs 228, 230 away from the inner face of the door 206 until limited by the engagement of a collar or stop 238 secured to the rod 222 with the boss 206a.

As will be explained, the spring-pressed rod 216 engages the rear surface of the tie rod 186 to retain the door'206 closed. When a stack of heels 26 in the magszine housing 164 has been exhausted, the spring-pressed rod 210 is withdrawn against spring action and the door is opened, the spring-pressed pawl 232 being withdrawn from engagement with the ratchet portion 234 of the rod 224 to enable the presser plate 226 to be moved under the action of the springs 228, 230 to its rearward limit of movement determined by the engagement of the collar 238 with the boss 206a. The spring-pressed pawl 232 is then released. The magazine housing 164 is then stacked with heels and the door 286 is swung rearward, the engagement of the bevel face 210a of the springpressed rod 218 with the tie rod 18!] serving to cam the rod 210 outwardly in the boss 208, said rod 210, after being moved rearwardly of the tie rod 180, being moved by spring action to a locking position behind said rod to retain the door closed.

As the door 206 is closed the presser plate 226 is forced yieldingly against the breasts of the heels 20 in the magazine housing 164 to aline said heels in the proper stacked relation in the housing, the rods 222, 224 sliding in their associated bosses 206a, 2061) against the action of the springs 228, 230 and the ratchet portion 234 of the rod 224 sliding over the pawl 232 which serves to prevent retraction of the rods 222, 224 and accordingly of the presser plate 226.

It will be noted that when the door 206 is closed it is swung rearward until the boss 214 in which the springpressed rod 216 is movable, engages the tie rod 180, the door locking rod 210 at such time being spaced slightly rearward of the tie rod 180. When the door 206 is released by the operator the spring-pressed rod 216 causes the door to swing forward until the locking rod 210 engages the rear face of the tie rod 180, the presser plate 226 which at this time is held against retraction by the pawl 232 then being slightly spaced from the breasts of the heels 20 in the magazine housing 164 to allow said heels to drop by gravity from said housing onto the flat upper face 179 of the block or table 168 preparatory to moving it to the transfer station 240 by mechanism hereinafter described.

The door 266 of the magazine 166 has secured to it a bracket 242 to which is secured a cylinder 244 having a bore 246 (FIGS. 2 and 12) in which slidingly fits a piston 248 having secured to its a piston rod 250. Yieldingly mounted on the lower end of the piston rod 250 is a presser foot 252' which is normally urged to a lowered position on the rod by a spring 254- (FIG. 2), downward movement of the presser foot on the rod being limited by the engagement of the upper end of a slot 256 in the presser foot with a pin 258 secured to the rod. As will be explained later, the presser foot 252 serves yieldingly to force one of the rubber heels 20 which is supported above the heel form 32 at the transfer station 240 by a carrier comprising the slide 156 and jaws 262 pivotally mounted on the slide, into the cavity 98 of the form 32.

The presser foot 252 has a planar work engaging face 264 which has the general outline and is somewhat smaller than the attaching face of the smallest heel to be operated upon, and a pair of arms 266whrich extend forwardly and laterally from said face 264- and are shaped and arranged to engage the forward lateral portions of the upper faces of rubber heels of different sizes and/or styles. Rotation of the presser foot 252 on the piston rod 250 is insured against by providing said presser foot with a rear flange 268 which slides in a slot 270 formed in a bracket 272 secured to the door 286.

The guide bar 72 has secured to it a block 274 provided with bore-s 276 in which are slidingly mounted rods 27% having collars 288 secured to their forward ends and an orienting bar 282 secured to their rear ends, springs 284 being interposed between the bar and the block to urge the orienting bar rearward to an extent controlled by the engagement of the collars with the block. As will be explained later, during forward movement of a heel delivered from the magazine 166 to the transfer station 240 by the slide 156 and the jaws 262, the breast of the heel engages the orienting bar 282 which yields forwardly and cooperates with the carrier, which comprises said slide and jaws, in the positive positioning of the heel directly above the cavity 98 of the form 32 so that when the presser foot 252 is lowered by mechanism hereinafter described, the heel will be effectively pressed into the cavity of the form waiting beneath the presser foot.

Secured to the door 206 of the magazine 166 is a microswitch M3 having a plunger 286 which is norm-ally springpressed to its projected posit-ion shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and when the presser foot 252 has depressed the heel 20 into the cavity 98 of the form 32 waiting at the transfer station 240 (FIG. 4), is engaged by a cam collar 287 secured to the rod 258 to move the plunger 286 against spring action to a retracted position. When this occurs, as will be hereinafter explained, the presser foot 252 is immediately moved to its raised position.

As best shown in FIG. 6, the jaws 262 are journaled on the slide 156 which is movable along the guideways 154 of the bars i162, and have segment portions 288 interengaging for equal movements in opposite directions. A spring 290 serves constantly to urge the jaws 262 toward each other, such movement being limited by stops 292 secured to the slide 156. The forward median portion of the slide 156 has mounted on it a pair of rolls 294 which are equidistant from a vertical median plane 296 (:FIG. 5) of the heel transfer station 240 and mounted on the forward ends of the jaws 262 respectively are rolls 298. As the slide 156 moves rearward to a position in which the rear portions of the jaws 262 are arranged over the table 168 and below the magazine 166,

7 a lug 300, which is secured to the left jaw 262 extends upwardly through an arcuate slot 362 formed in the slide, engages a stop 304 secured to the right guide bar 152. Continued rearward movement of the slide 156 with relation to the lug 369 causes the jaws 262 to the opened against the action of the spring 290. When the jaws 262 have been moved rearward to a desired position above the table 168 and below the magazine 166 the lug 300 is engaged by the forward end of the slot 302 and rearward movement of the slide 168 ceases. If desirable a separate initially adjustable stop screw (not shown) may be provided for limiting rearward movement of the slide 1168. The jaws 262 may be described as being movable toward and away from each other in a plane and the rolls 294 and 298 may be described as rotatable about axes disposed at right angles to said plane.

The slide 163 is pivotally connected at its rear end to a rod 366 secured to a piston 363 (FIG. 12) which is reciprocable in a cylinder 3111 supported by trunnions 309 (FIG. 1) in the same manner that the cylinder 84 is supported. Secured to the main frame 66 is a microswitch M2 comprising a spring-pressed plunger 312 movable between its projected position shown in FIG. 6 and, after the slide 156 starts to move rearward, to a retracted dash-line position.

While the heel attaching mechanism of the machine is completing its return cycle and is at rest a line 558 of the machine disclosed in United States Patent No. 2,994,- 882 is open to high pressure oil, said line being connected to a line 314 serving as a source of oil for hereinafter described fluid pressure operated means which actuates the heel delivering mechanism and is schematically shown in FIG. 12. High pressure oil may be supplied from any other suitable source if desirable. Connected to the line 3'14 are solenoid valves A, B, C and D having spools 307, 309, 311 and 313 respectively which are operatively connected to associated solenoid S1, S2, 52A and S3 and, when the solenoids are deenergized, are held in their operating positions shown in FIG. 12 by springs 315, 317, 3119 and 321 respectively.

As the machine completes the return portion of its heel attaching cycle, oil under pressure in the line 314 is available through the solenoid valve A, a line 318, a pilot check valve 320 and a line 322 for a face 324 of the piston 80 which as above described is operat-ively connected to the form carrying slide '76, a face 326 of this piston then being open, through a line 328 and the solenoid valve A to an exhaust return line 330. Accordingly, the heel form 32 without a heel 20 in it is at rest at the heel attaching station 26 over the nailing die 28 as the machine completes its heel attaching cycle. The check valve 320 may be omitted if desirable.

vAt this time a face 332 of the piston 24% secured to the rod 250 operatively connected to the presser foot 252 is open through a line 334 and the solenoid valve D to high pressure oil in the line 314, a face 338 of the piston 248 being open through a line 340 and the solenoid valve D to an exhaust return line 342. In view of the foregoing it will be clear that when the machine completes its heel attaching cycle the presser foot 252 is in its raised position at the transfer station 246.

As above explained, during the heel attaching cycle of the machine the jaws 262 are at rest at the heel transfer station 240 and hold between them a heel 20, the rear end of the slide 156 which carries the jaws then being arranged forward of the microswitch M2 as best shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. At this time a face 344 of the piston 308, which is reciprocable in the cylinder 310, is open through a line 343 and the solenoid valve B to the pressure line 3114, a face 352 of the piston 308 being open to an exhaust return line 354 through a line 356 and the solenoid valve C.

Power for operating the various microswitches, solenoids and relays herenafter described is supplied by 8. trunk lines 358, 358a between which a plurality of circuits are included, said trunk lines corresponding to trunk lines 774 and 774a shown in United States Patent No. 2,994,882.

As the jack 30 reaches the upper end of its retracted movement after the attachment of the heel 20 and its associated base lift 22 to the shoe 24, the earn 579, which is carried by the rod 546 operatively connected to the jack 30, displaces against spring action the plunger 577 of the above-mentioned normally open switch M7 and accordingly closes this switch. When this occurs the solenoid S1 of the solenoid valve A is energized through a normal closed switch K13-A of a time delay relay including a coil K13 thereby causing the spool 307 of the solenoid valve A to be moved against the action of the spring 315 to its dash-line position (FIG. 12) with the result that the line 314 is open to the face 326 of the piston 36 and the face 324 of the piston is open to an exhaust return line 36f). It will thus be apparent that the energizing of the solenoid S1 causes the empty heel form 32, to be moved from its position over the nailing die 28 to a waiting position below the heel 20 which is then held by the jaws 262 at the transfer station 240.

Just before the slide 76 carrying the heel form 32 engages the stop screw 116 a stud 122 secured to the slide by reason of its engagement wtih the plunger of the normally open switch M1 closes this switch and causes, through the switch M2, which has terminals 362, 362a and the switch M3, which has terminals 364, 364a, the solenoid S3 to be energized. The energizing of the solenoid S3 causes the spool 313 of the solenoid valve D to be moved to its dash-line position against the action of the spring 321 thus causing high pressure oil in the line 314 to be available for the face 338 of the piston 248 and an exhaust return line 366 to be open to the face 332 of said piston with the result that the piston rod 250, upon which the presser foot 252 is yieldingly mounted, is depressed to cause the heel 20 positioned in its waiting position between the jaws 262 at the transfer station 240 to be forced into the cavity 98 of the form 32.

As the presser foot 252 reaches the lower end of its stroke the plunger 286 of the switch M3 is displaced by the cam collar 287 causing an arm 368 of the switch M3 to be swung against the action of a spring 370 from a position against the terminal 364 of this switch to a position against the terminal 36411 of the switch with the result that a coil KIZTD of a time delay relay is ener gized and accordingly a normally open switch K12-A of this relay is closed. Movement of the arm 368 of the switch M3 away from the terminal 364 causes the solenoid S3 to be deenergized and accordingly this spool 313 of the solenoid valve D to be moved by the spring 321 back to its full-line position (FIG. 12) with the result that the presser foot 352 starts to return to its raised idle position. When this occurs the plunger 236 of the switch M3 is released by the cam collar 287 and the arm 368 of this switch acted upon by the spring 370 is moved back into engagement with the terminal 364. As above indicated, the relay including the coil K12TD has a time delay in order that the switch K12-A shall remain closed for a selected predetermined time after the coil KIZTD has been deenergized.

The closing of the switch K12A energizes the solenoids S2 and S2A of the solenoid valves B and C respectively causing the spools 309, 311 of these valves to be moved to their dash-line positions (FIG. 12) against the action of their associated springs 317, 319 with the result that oil under substantial and exhaust pressures is available for the faces 352, 344 respectively of the piston 308 and accordingly the carrier slide 156 moves rearward along the guideways 154 to move the empty jaws 262, which are pivotally mounted on the slide, into the dash-line position shown in FIG. 6 below the magazine 166, said jaws being opened by means above described as they arrive below the magazine to receive the heel dropped onto the table 168 from the lower end of the housing 164 of the magazine. The time delay of the relay, which includes the switch K12-A, is set to allow ample time for the heel 20 to'drop from the magazine 166 onto the table 168 before this switch is opened to deenergize the solenoids S2 and SZ-A.

When the switch KlZ-A is opened and accordingly the solenoids S2, S2-A are deenergized, the spools 309', 311

of the solenoid valves B and C respectively are biased to their full-line positions by the springs 317, 319 and this results in oil under substantial and exhaust pressures being available for the faces 344, 352 respectively of the piston 308, said piston returning to its forward stopped position determined by the engagement of the slide 156 with the stop screws 176.

As the slide 156 starts to move rearward in response to the energizing of the solenoids S2 and S2-A as above described, it displaces the plunger 312 of the switch M2 to the left (FIG. 6), thereby causing an arm 372 of the switch to swing against the'action of a spring 373 from engagement with the terminal 362 into engagement with the terminal 362a. When this occurs a coil K11 of a relay, which includes normally open switches Kll-A and Kill-B, is energized and this results in closing these switches. The closing of the switch Kll-A establishes a holding circuit for the coil K11 and the closing of the switch K1143 energizes the coil K1311) of the abovementioned time delay relay which includes the switch K13-A.

As the slide 156 arrives at its forward position the plunger 312 of the microswitch M2 is permitted to move back to its position shown in FIG. 6 and the arm 372 of this switch under the action of the spring 373 moves back to its rest position into engagement with the terminal 362. During this time the coil K11 is held energized through the holding circuit which includes the switch Kll-A this coil being held energized until the switch M7 is again opened.

When the switch K13-A is opened with a suitable time delay after energizing the relay coil K13 the solenoid S1 is deenergized causing the spool 3G7 of the solenoid valve A to be moved by the spring 315 to its full-line position (FIG. 12). This results in oil under substantial and exhaust pressures being available for the faces 324, 326 of the piston 80 and accordingly movement of the heel form 32 and the heel in said form from the transfer station 240 to the heel attaching station 26, the microswitch M1 opening to its reset position as the form carrying slide 76 moves away from the plunger 126 of this microswitch.

When the loaded heel form 32 has returned to the heel attaching station 26 the operator places a base lift 22 on the heel, said lift being positioned by the arms 60 of the base lift gage 33 as above explained, and after properly presenting a shoe 24- to the machine, starts the machine through its heel attaching cycle by depressing a foot switch (not shown) as explained in United States Patent No.

2,994,882. As the jack 3t] and the shoe mounted on it.

are moved toward the base lift 22 and the heel 20 at the heel attaching station 26 the cam 579 carried by the rod 546, which is operatively connected to the jack, is raised away from the plunger 577 of the switch M7 with the result that this switch is opened and the relay coil K11 is deenergized and accordingly the switches Kll-A and K11-B are opened. The opening of the switch Kll-B causes the relay coil K13 to be deenergized and the coil K13-A to be reset to its closed position, the solenoid S1 remaining deenergized due to the opening of the microswitch M7 and accordingly the heel form 22 is held at the heel attaching station 26.

It will be appreciated that the illustrated microswitches, solenoids, relays and check valve are schematic for the purpose of illustrating the operation of the machine such that these elements adapted to serve the desired requirements may be purchased commercially.

Near the end of the heel attaching cycle the switch M7 is again closed to operate the heel delivering mechanism automatically through its cycle to deliver another heel to the form 32 to its waiting position at the heel attaching station 26.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a heel attaching machine, a nailing die, fluid pressure operated means for automatically delivering heels in succession to a heel attaching station adjacent to said die, and means responsive to completion of a heel attaching cycle of the machine for operating said fluid pressure operated means.

2. In a heel attaching machine, a magazine, a nailing die, a transfer station spaced from the magazine and from the nailing die, a form for carrying a heel, power operated means for moving the form between a predetermined position adjacent to the nailing die and a predetermined position at the transfer station, and power operated means actuated in timed relation with said first-named means for receiving a heel from the magazine and for delivering it to the form at the transfer station.

3. In a heel attaching machine, a magazine, a nailing die, a transfer station spaced from the magazine and from the nailing die, a heel carrying form, power operated means for moving the form between a predetermined position adjacent to the nailing die and a predetermined position at the transfer station, power operated means adapted to receive a heel from the magazine and to deliver it to a predetermined position adjacent to the heel form positioned at the transfer station, power operated means for forcing the heel in said second-named means into the form at the transfer station, and coordinating means for operating said power operated means in timed relation.

4. In a heel attaching machine, a nailing die, a magazine for receiving in stacked relation a plurality of heels, a table arranged beneath the magazine, a heel carrying form, fluid pressure operated means for moving the form between the nailing die and a transfer station, fluid pressure operated means for delivering a heel, which is dropped from the magazine onto the table, to the transfer station, a presser member, fluid pressure operated means for cansin the presser member to force a heel at the transfer station into the form at this station, and means responsive to the completion of a heel attaching cycle of the machine for actuating said fluid pressure operated means.

5. In a heel attaching machine, a magazine, a heel form, a nailing die, means for moving said form between a transfer station located a substantial distance from the die and a heel attaching station adjacent to said die, means comprising a slide and a pair of jaws adapted successively to receive heels from the magazine and to deliver them to said transfer station, said slide and said jaws having rolls adapted to be engaged respectively by the rear and the side margins of the heel, means for moving the jaws toward each other to cause the heels to be initially oriented as said slide and jaws move toward the transfer station, a yieldable breast bar adapted to be engaged by a breast of the heel just before said heel arrives at the transfer station for assisting said rolls on the slide and the jaws in the positive orienting of the heel, and a presser foot for forcing the oriented heel into said form at the transfer station preparatory to moving the form to the heel attaching station.

6. In a heel attaching machine, a magazine, a nailing die, a transfer station spaced from the magazine and from the nailing die, a form having a cavity for receiving a heel, power operated means for moving the form between a predetermined operating position adjacent to the nailing die and a predetermined position at the transfer station, means adapted to orient and to grip a heel, which is received from the magazine, by engagement with the side and rear faces of the heel and to deliver the heel to a predetermined position at the transfer station, means adapted yieldingly to engage the breast of the heel as it arrives at the transfer station to assist said second-named means in the positive orienting of the heel at this station, power operated means for engaging the upper face of the heel to move said oriented heel into the cavity of said form preparatory to moving said form to said operating station adjacent to the nailing die, and means for operating the first, second and third-named power operated means in timed relation.

7. In a heel attaching machine, a magazine, means comprising a pair of jaws for receiving heels from the magazine and for delivering them to a transfer station spaced from the magazine, a nailing die, a form having a cavity, means for moving the form between the nailing die and the transfer station, and a presser member for yieldingly forcing a heel gripped by said jaws into the cavity of the form positioned at the transfer station, said presser member having a planar work-engaging face defined by a margin which is generally similar to and somewhat smaller than the outline of the smallest heel to be accommodated, and a pair of associated presser arms which extend forwardly and laterally from said work-engaging face and are adapted to engage the forward lateral portions of the upper face of the heel and to cooperate with said work-engaging face to force the heel into said cavity.

8. In a heel attaching machine, a magazine, a slide, a pair of jaws which are pivotally mounted on the slide and are geared together for equal movements in opposite directions and which are moved yieldingly toward each other, a nailing die, a heel form movable between a heel attach'ng station adjacent to the nailing die and transfer station which is spaced from the magazine, a table arranged beneath the magazine, means for operating the slide to move said jaws between the transfer station and the table, and means responsive to movement of the jaws toward the table for opening said jaws thereby to allow one of the heels in the magazine to drop onto the table between the jaws, said jaws during the first part of the movement toward the transfer station being closed against the heel to grip the heel whereby to move said heel to the transfer station.

9. In a heel attaching machine, a magazine, a fixed table arranged below the magazine, a heel receiving form which has a cavity and is movable toward and away from a transfer station, a slide, a pair of jaws pivotally mounted on the slide for movement toward and away from. each other in a plane, a pair of rolls which are mounted on the slide for rotation about axes respectively disposed at right angles to the plane of movement of the jaws, a roll which is mounted on each of the jaws and is rotatable about an axis disposed at right angles to said plane, means for moving the slide from a retracted position in which the jaws are arranged in open heel receiving positions beneath the magazine and above the table to a projected position in which the jaws are arranged in heel gripping positions over the form at the transfer station, means for causing the jaws to be opened as they arrive beneath the magazine and above the table whereby to permit a heel to be delivered between them from the magazine and onto the table, means for causing the jaws to close in against opposite sides of the heel to grip said heel as the slide and the jaws move over the table toward the transfer station, a yieldable breast bar positioned at the transfer station and adapted to be engaged by the breast of the heel gripped by said jaws, said rolls and said breast bar being adapted positively to orient the heel to the proper position a the jaws arrive at the transfer station, and a presser member operative against the upper face of the oriented heel at the transfer station for forcing said heel into the cavity of the form.

10. In a heel attaching machine, a magazine, a table spaced from and arranged beneath the magazine, a carrier for a heel, said carrier comprising a slide and a pair of jaws which are mounted for equal movements in opposite directions upon the slide in a plane, resilient means for constantly urging the jaws toward each other, rollers which are mounted on the slide and upon the respective jaws and are rotatable about axes disposed at right angles to said plane, means for moving the carrier between a retracted position in which the jaws are positioned beneath the magazine and above the table and a projected position in which the jaws are positioned at a transfer station, means responsive to movement of the slide toward its retracted position for opening up the jaws against the action of said resilient means to permit the lowermost heel in the magazine to fall onto the table and between the jaws as the carrier arrives at its retracted position, means comprising said resilient means for causing the rollers carried by the slide and the jaws initially to orient and to clamp the heel on the table, and a yieldable presser bar adapted to engage the breast of the heel upon arrival at the transfer station and to cooperate with the rollers to insure that the heel is accurately located in the jaws and is positively held in its oriented position preparatory to moving the heel from the jaws and the bar at the transfer station.

11. In a heel attaching machine, a magazine comprising a deformable housing which is U-shaped in cross section and is adapted to receive in stacked relation a plurality of heels, said housing being supported at its rear end and having sides which are movable toward and away from each other, arms operatively connected to opposite sides of the housing, and means for moving said arms equal distances toward and away from each other to vary the width and accordingly the cross section of the housing.

12. In a heel attaching machine, a magazine comprising a resilient housing which is adapted to receive in stacked relation a plurality of heel and which is U- shaped in cross section and is constantly urged by its wn resiliency to an open setting in which the housing has a maximum width, and means for effecting movement of approach between the sides of the housing to cause the width of the housing to be decreased.

13. In a heel attaching machine, a magazine comprising a flexible metal housing which is adapted to receive in stacked relation a plurality of heels and which is U- shaped in cross section and is constantly urged to an open setting to provide a cross section of maximum width, a pair of arms operatively connected to the sides of the housing, and means for initially moving the arms equal distances in opposite directions toward and away from each other to control the width of said housing.

14. A magazine for use in a heel attaching machine and comprising a flexible housing which is U-shaped in cross section and is adapted to receive heels in stacked relation, means for initially moving the sides of the housing into different settings toward and away from each other to accommodate heels of different sizes, and a yieldable presser plate adapted to be forced against the breasts of heels in said housing to orient the same and thereafter to be moved slightly away from said breasts, said housing and presser plate being adapted to allow the heels a predetermined amount of play in their general planes.

15. A magazine for use in a heel attaching machine and comprising afiexible housing which is U-shaped in cross section and is adapted to receive heels in stacked relation, means for moving the sides of the housing into different settings toward and away from each other to accommodate heels of different sizes, a door which is movable with relation to the housing between a closed position in which it covers the open end of the U-shaped housing and an open position for permitting heels to be stacked in the housing, said door having slidingly mounted on it a plate adapted to be forced against the breasts of the heels as the door is closed whereby to cooperate with the housing in the orienting of the heels in a desired stacked relation in the housing, and means operatively connected to the door for causing the plate, after said plate has cooperated in the orienting of the heels in the housing, to be moved into spaced relation with the breasts of the heels whereby to allow the heels some but not excessive freedom to movement in the housing in their general planes.

16. In a heel attaching machine, a magazine comprising a housing which is U-shaped in cross section and has a front opening and which is adapted to receive a plurality of heels in stacked relation, a door for covering the front opening of the housing, yieldable means carried by the door and adapted to press against the breasts of the heels in the housing in response to the closing of the door whereby to insure that the heels are positioned lengthwise and are oriented in the housing, and means for relieving the pressure of said means against the breasts of the heels preparatory to operating the machine.

17. In a heel attaching machine, a magazine comprising a housing which is U-shaped in cross section and is adapted to receive in stacked relation a plurality of heels, a fixed abutment, a door which carries a stop and has slidable in it a spring-pressed plunger and which is manually moved between an open position to enable heels to be stacked in said housing and a closed position until said stop on the door engages said fixed abutment, a presser plate which is yieldingly mounted on the door and is operative against the breasts of heels in the housing in response to the manual closing of the door whereby to orient said heels in and to move them to their proper lengthwise positions in the housing as the front of the housing is closed by said door, means carried by the door for securing to the door the presser plate in the position to which it has yielded by reason of the door being moved to its manually closed position, and a latch which is slidingly carried by the door and after the door in its manually closed position has been released by the opera tor is forced against said fixed abutment by the springpressed plunger whereby to move the door to a normally closed position, said door when in its normally closed position being so positioned that the presser plate shall 14 not bear against the heels and will allow the heels to fall freely from the magazine but will restrict excessive displacement of the heels in the housing.

18. In a heel attaching machine, a magazine comprising a flexible housing which is U-shaped in cross section and is adapted to receive a plurality of heels in stacked relation, means for moving the sides of the housing toward and away from each other to vary the width of the housing, a fixed abutment, a door which carries a stop and which is movable between an open position to enable heels to be placed in said housing and a manually closed position to insure that heels shall be retained in said housing, a presser plate having secured to it supporting rods which are slidable in bores formed in and extending forward and rearwardly through the door and one of which is provided with a ratchet portion, springs which surround said rods respectively and are interposed between the door and the presser plate, a stop mounted on one of the rods for limiting movement of the presser plate away from the door under the action of said springs, said presser plate being shaped and arranged to bear against the breasts of the heels in the magazine as the door is being shut and being adapted for displacement against the action of the springs whereby to enable the door to be moved to its manually closed position until limited by engagement of the stop on the door with said fixed abutment, a pawl cooperating with the ratchet portion on said one rod for retaining the presser plate in its displaced position on the door, a latch carried by the door, and a spring-pressed plunger for causing the manually closed door, after it is released by the operator, to be moved forwardly to a normally closed position to cause the presser plate to be moved slightly away from the heels in the housing whereby to allow said heels to fall freely from the magazine.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,377,263 Mayo May 10, 1921 

1. IN A HEEL ATTACHING MACHINE, A NAILING DIE, FLUID PRESSURE OPERATED MEANS FOR AUTOMATICALLY DELIVERING HEELS IN SUCCESSION TO A HEEL ATTACHING STATION ADJACENT TO SAID DIE, AND MEANS RESPONSIVE TO COMPLETION OF A HEEL ATTACHING CYCLE OF THE MACHINE FOR OPERATING SAID FLUID PRESSURE OPERATED MEANS. 